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Zambia Tuberculosis and Leprosy Trust (Zatulet)

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Zambia Tuberculosis and Leprosy Trust (Zatulet) is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) formed to supplement government efforts in the fight against tuberculosis (TB) and leprosy in Zambia. The United Kingdom (UK)-based charity Target Tuberculosis sponsors the training of community volunteers and supports them in detecting, treating, preventing, and controlling TB and leprosy in the country. The project also trains youth peer educators, who work to raise awareness among young adults through the establishment of football and netball teams. The ultimate goal of this collaborative project is to empower Zambian communities with the skills and knowledge to prevent and treat the disease.
Communication Strategies

Interpersonal strategies designed to foster the participation of community volunteers have been central to this effort. Having been identified by their community leaders as suitable for the work at hand, the volunteers participated in training sessions designed to prepare them for an 8-month-long process that involved visiting and advising patients in their neighbourhood. They then provided a variety of services, such as raising awareness in the community about TB, working to reduce stigma associated with the disease, and referring TB suspects to clinics for diagnosis.

Youth participation is another key strategy - one that is informed by the draw that sports play to entertain youth while educating them. For example, young people took part in a series of training sessions designed to bolster their skills in raising awareness about TB amongst their peers. They then formed football and netball teams, disseminating a brightly coloured kit, and providing health talks and/or dramas before games.

Development Issues

Health.

Key Points

Launched in February 2001 in the Kalingalinga neighbourhood of eastern Lusaka, Zambia, Zatulet coordinates over 130 volunteers across 8 branches to carry out outreach activities in their local communities every week. The majority of the community volunteers work within the government clinics and the associated catchment areas, supporting the treatment facilities in the 'TB corner' of the clinics, as well as visiting and monitoring patients in their homes.

According to organisers, TB in Zambia cannot be targeted without considering the impact of HIV; thus, Zatulet offers voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) at all its sites. There is a dedicated trained staff member who meets all TB patients privately to explain the options and offer testing. In August 2005 the Zambian government offered anti-retroviral drugs to all those who tested HIV+. Zatulet has responded to this and, with the help of Target Tuberculosis, hopes to train all the community volunteers in the use of anti-retroviral drugs and the effect of these on TB medicine and patient care.

Partners

Target Tuberculosis.

Sources

Target Tuberculosis website ; Medguide website .

Comments

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Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 05/23/2008 - 02:23 Permalink

Zatulet is indeed one of the Non-governmental organization in Zambia that has contributed well in the fight against HIV and ADIS and Tuberculosis.Zatulet needs to be supported financially in order for it to operate effectivelly.